Chapter 11 Hurricanes
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Chapter 11 Hurricanes Few phenomena in nature compare to the destructive force of a hurricane. Called the greatest storm on Earth, a hurricane is capable of annihilating coastal areas with sustained winds over 100 mph, intense areas of rainfall, flooding ocean waters, and huge waves. In fact, during its life cycle a hurricane can expend as much energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs!1 The term hurricane is derived from Huracan, a god of evil recognized by the Mayan civilization in Central America and the Tainos of the Caribbean.2 Beyond the soft winds and tranquil north shore waters of Hawaii, the late summer and fall ushers in threatening tropical storms and hurricanes. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and typhoons are collectively known as tropical cyclones. These disturbances are among the most devastating, naturally occurring hazards in coastal areas of the tropics and middle latitudes. Constant media reminders that it is “Hurricane Season” keep us all on guard and stimulate a somewhat closer watch among residents on the weather forecast portion of the evening news. Tropical cyclones3 are classified as follows: Hurricane - An intense tropical weather system with a well-defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of seventy-four miles per hour or higher. In the western Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons. Similar storms in the Indian Ocean are called cyclones. Chapter 11 Hurricanes 1 Tropical Storm - An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of thirty-nine to seventy-three mph. Tropical Depression - An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of thirty-eight mph or less. Hurricanes tend to form around a pre-existing atmospheric disturbance (an area of low pressure) in warm tropical oceans where there is high humidity in the atmosphere, light winds above the storm, and a high rate of condensation in the atmosphere. If the right conditions last long enough, a hurricane can produce violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains, and floods. There are on average six Atlantic hurricanes each year; over a 3-year period, approximately five hurricanes strike the United States coastline from Texas to Maine. The Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the U.S. are famous for their vulnerability to hurricane damage but other areas are also vulnerable. In fact, there are three regions in the Northern Hemisphere known for their tendency to spawn hurricanes: the tropical Atlantic, the eastern tropical Pacific, and the western tropical Pacific. In the Southern Hemisphere there are two primary areas: the western topical Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale TD TS 1 2 3 4 5 This map shows the tracks of all Tropical cyclones which formed worldwide from 1985 to 2005. The points show the locations of the storms at six-hourly intervals and use a color scheme shown from the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Notice that Hawai‘i lies in the corridor between the east Pacific spawning grounds and the west Pacific.4 [2 page spread] Chapter 11 Hurricanes 2 Hurricanes in Hawaii Hurricanes are relatively rare in Hawai‟i, but should they run ashore on any of the islands their impact is so devastating that they top the list of local meteorological hazards. Not only is their immediate impact overwhelming but the high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, and large surf they generate trigger a domino effect of other hazards, including flash flooding, mudslides and other forms of mass wasting, coastal erosion, and coastal flooding. Usually it is our shoreline that receives a hurricane‟s most immediate and immense blow. Sitting in the crosshairs of an approaching storm, the shoreline endures the first and most severe pummeling from the wind, waves, and floods. Hawai`i lies in the Central Pacific, which, on average, has four to five tropical cyclones (depression, storms, and hurricanes) every year. These numbers can range as high as 11 a year, such as in the 1992 and 1994 seasons, or as low as zero such as in 1979. History shows that strong winds associated with hurricanes have struck all major islands, but true landfalls are not frequent. Hurricane Dot in 1959 and Iniki in 1992 are the only two that have actually run ashore in the past half-century. Hurricane Iwa came close as it passed to the northwest of Kauai in 1982. However, a hurricane passing offshore does not have to make landfall to cause catastrophic damage. The passing glance of a nearby system can generate large waves that erode beaches and sweep onto low-lying roads and properties causing significant damage, and high winds that accelerate up and down Hawaii‟s steep slopes. Prior to the launch of the first weather satellite in April of 1960 storm history in the trackless waters of the Pacific is sketchy and built mostly from aircraft and ship reports. The first officially recognized hurricane in Hawaiian waters was Hurricane Hiki which passed to the northeast of Oahu and Kauai in August of 1950. Since 1950 four hurricanes have caused serious damage in Hawaii. These include: Hurricane Nina (1957) which clocked record winds in Honolulu as it passed to the southwest of the state; Hurricane Dot (1959) which made landfall on Kauai; Hurricane Iwa (1982) which passed north of Kauai on November 23rd and caused over $200 million in damage; and most recently Hurricane Iniki (1992) which made landfall on Kauai and caused $2.4 billion in damage to the main islands. When They Hit When hurricanes move onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees, and cars. Accompanying the large waves is a high sea-level phenomenon called storm surge. Storm surge is a combined effect that includes low atmospheric pressure above the ocean surface causing a bulge of water that travels beneath a hurricane as well as the effect of wind shearing the water surface in the direction of hurricane forward movement. Sea-level set-up due to wave momentum also contributes to storm surge. The combined processes of wind shear, low pressure, and set-up can raise the water level several yards along a coastline. Add to this waves, 30 to 60 ft high (or more) formed by the winds of a hurricane, and it is easy to see why these storms are very dangerous when they intersect the shore, especially a shoreline with low topography. Storm surge causes massive damage and flooding of low-lying coastlines. Damage is compounded if a hurricane should hit at high tide, as hurricane Iniki did when it ran ashore on Kauai. Chapter 11 Hurricanes 3 1971-2005 Tropical Cyclones in the Central Pacific5 Hurricanes Tropical Tropical Total Storms Depressions Total Number 48 57 48 153 Average Per Year 1.4 1.6 1.4 4.4 Percent of All Systems 31% 36% 33% Hurricane tracks around the Hawaiian Islands since 1949.6 Hurricanes are not the only type of storm to cause damage in coastal areas, but they are the most damaging. High winds and storm surge are a primary cause of hurricane-inflicted loss of life and property damage. When a hurricane makes landfall on low-lying coastal lands, ocean waters sweep across beaches, roads, and into adjacent communities. Houses float, or are blown off their foundations. Debris torn loose is carried by the water and wind to smash into neighboring dwellings. Entire blocks of homes can be brought down in the hours that a hurricane batters the coast. Winds blow onshore at first, and when the eye of the storm passes, they blow from the opposite direction, often completing the total damage to structures severely weakened by the first winds. Heavy rains compound the coastal flooding by saturating the ground and forcing nearby streams to overtop their banks. Coastal erosion compromises any buffering effect Chapter 11 Hurricanes 4 that beaches and wetlands may have because high waves and storm surge can strip a beach of its sand and undermine homes, roadways, and businesses. How can damage be mitigated? The simplest and most direct way is to avoid the hazard by not developing the shoreline. If we stopped putting communities on the edge of the ocean, we would greatly reduce the suffering, loss of life, and enormous damage caused by hurricanes and other types of coastal hazards. Hurricane Intensity All hurricanes are ranked by the Saffir Simpson Scale according to the power of their winds.7 Yet, a storm‟s strength fluctuates. What appears to be a weak approaching tropical disturbance may intensify into a full-blown hurricane. The vigilant National Weather Service‟s Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) monitors weather patterns and tropical low-pressure centers, and tracks any suspect tropical storms.8 If need be, the CPHC is able to issue storm warnings at least several hours before a gale hits. When the shrill sirens blare out a state of emergency and call for evacuation, citizens are encouraged not to second-guess the CPHC‟s judgment, especially because high winds and flooding may occur before the storm‟s landfall. Saffir Simpson Scale Hurricane Sustained Winds Typical Storm Surge Damage Level Category (mph) 1 74-95 Minimal 5-7 ft 2 96-110 Moderate 7-12 ft 3 111-130 Extensive 12-15 ft 4 131-155 Extreme 15-20 ft 5 >155 Catastrophic 20-24 ft Coastal flooding almost always accompanies hurricanes. In Hawai„i, the threat is doubled because floodwaters arrive from the sea and the land. The heavy rainfall that accompanies most hurricanes can overwhelm our tiny watersheds in a blink, and narrow streams turn into flooding hazardous torrents. Standing water collects in poorly drained areas.